Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:
The Conversation has an excellent piece on how the study of brain injury, not brain scans, have told us the most about how the brain works.
How light affects the brain. Only Human discusses a fascinating study on how a recently discovered form of human light receptor affects cognitive function.
Retraction Watch covers how the researcher behind discredited findings on the link between chronic fatigue and the XMRV virus has written a book, and has rewritten history in the process. Negative findings you say? Pifflebuymybook.
The New York Times has an excellent retrospective report about the trial that unleashed hysteria over child abuse and a thousand false memories.
Is religion good for your brain? asks Discovery News before writing an article that seems to have been thought through while huffing butane.
Science News take a critical look at studies on the link between good looks and enhanced abilities. Sadly, still no studies on the link between irresistible allure and an in-depth knowledge of early 90s PC operating systems. Cognitive scientists, you know where to find me.
Aeon magazine has an interesting piece on the relentless pre-march of humanoid robots into society.
Modern life damaging infant brains, according to some evidence-free hand-wringers contacted by BBC News. Quotes the “Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology”. Pro-tip for faux neurocampaigners: choose a name which doesn’t immediately announce I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE BRAIN.
New Scientist report on early research suggesting D-cycloserine might enhance psychotherapy for anxiety disorders.
Mind Hacks 
Laughed out loud several times.
(Perhaps I should be using “LOL”, but then again I’m one who does find a certain allure to those who know their way around an autoexec.bat file so…)